


Bloody Roses

by setter_soul



Series: Bloody Roses [1]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Alternate Universe - Cancer, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Angst, Build-up Relationships, Cancer, Child Abuse, Crimes & Criminals, Domestic Violence, Drugs, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, IkeYui, M/M, Self-Harm, Stomach cancer, Weapons, daisuga - Freeform, relationships
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-01
Updated: 2017-04-01
Packaged: 2018-10-13 11:17:16
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 15
Words: 20,605
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10512675
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/setter_soul/pseuds/setter_soul
Summary: Daichi loved the small flower patterns creep up his skin. However, he didn't know the story behind them......Daichi Sawamura is your typical middleschool jock who wishes he could meet his beautiful and talented soulmate. Your soulmate would write on their skin, and it'd appear on your skin. Daichi tried to contact them through drawing on his skin, but they'd never reply. On the other side, Koushi Sugawara is held hostage, unable to ask his soulmate for any help. So, instead, he uses dingbats made up of flowers made with a razor to try to speak to him. But who would ever think that he was trying to call for help, especially his probably-normal soulmate? Will Daichi even realize that his soulmate's in trouble?





	1. Prologue

Koushi sat on his bed, shaking furiously. His breaths were ragged, his coffee-brown eyes were watery, the blood was pounding like a drum in his ears. A pair of protective arms held him close against their chest; a gaurdian angel named Yuki with black hair and snow-like skin that whispered loving things into his ears.

"Nee-chan..." Koushi clutched onto her long-sleeved shirt that shielded her scarred arms from his innocent brown eyes. He leaned his forehead against her upper chest, feeling her arms wrap back around him and rub small circles on his t-shirt. Tears quickly broke from Koushi's eyes and laid stains into the fabric that was pressed against his face.

"It's okay, Koushi," she whispered into his ear, her right hand now grasping a handful of his smokey-gray hair. "Mommy and Daddy are just arguing. I promise. It'll be over with soon." She reassured him, but even did she know this was not just a simple, ordinary agrument, even though an agruement to them was throwing pots and pans to eachother and slamming their beloved items into walls and floors. A normal arguement's results consistied in cuts in everyone's arms and their father leaving for at least a couple days. But this was different...

Completely different.

"I want to go to Saki-chan's house," Koushi whispered. Yuki couldn't help but brighten up a bit at the mention of her best friend, Sakiko. 

"Alright, Koushi, but you know we'll have to go out the back door." She whispered, grabbing him in her arms and holding him against her chest. 

They had to go to Sakiko's home a lot. The agruments their parents went through happened quite often, confusing both why they didn't already have a divorce. Sakiko's parents understanded that they lived in a frightening enviorment at home; she even offered to take the two in and adopt them. Yuki had to refuse, knowing that both of their parents would keep them in the living nightmare forever. As a child, Yuki wasn't allowed to go out, so she was lonely. But now the blessing but at the same time curse of a younger brother, Koushi, appeared in her sight and she was relieved. So as she grew older, she sneaked out of the home and, because Sakiko's home was nearby, they fleed there. It was their sanctuary. 

Yuki carried the younger boy to the back door of their flat, slowly crawling out as clearly audible shouts echoed against eachother and into their ears. Koushi bit his lip, knowing to be quiet when they had to creep out of the house like this. He saw a flash and a glint of bloody metal, and then a strained wail coming from the kitchen and a crash of plates. More salty droplets of water poured from Koushi's eyes as he watched. It quickly disappeared, to his relief, when the door silently closed behind them. Then, as fast as she could, she set Koushi down and sprinted out of their backyard, barefoot. Koushi followed behind, the small things in the hidden grass cutting against his feet painless. 

They climbed the fence and a shatter of glass was heard from the home. Koushi glanced back and heard a loud scream coming from the lit window as well.

"What happened to you, Taeko!?"

He hesitated for a moment before Yuki was already on the ground, snatching his arm and pulling him into her embrace. She grasped his hand like he was the only thing left in her life and recongized Sakiko's home. They dashed through the bushes like sly foxes, making no noise as they went and kept their backs hunched so nobody would see them and be suspcious. 

Then there was a gunshot, followed by a scream that was instantly cut off.

Both of the children's eyes widened as they looked back at the house. A stomping of feet coming up the stairs, and finally an irritated yell.

"Where the fuck are you two!?"

"Koushi, run." Yuki said firmly to him and pushed him forward. Koushi was too scared to move as he only responded with a clumsy stumble.

"M-Mother..." Koushi ran past her and back to the house. 

"Koushi! No! To Sakiko's house!" Yuki cried, running after him and quickly stopping him with a grip on his shoulders. "Koushi, please," she pleaded, eyes wide with tears. Koushi broke away and climbed back up the fence. 

"Mother!" Koushi cried, causing the man in the window of their room turn his head. Yuki climbed over the fence as well and rushed into the kitchen as a gunshot was fired at the window and broke past it, into a hedge. Koushi's eyes widened and he struggled to move, his foot unconvientently caught in the wired fence. Blood trickled down his foot and he panted heavily with fear. On the other hand, Yuki had rushed into the house to fight him. Koushi managed to break away from the fence. "Yuki, Yuki no!"

Another gunshot.

Koushi bolted into the house and opened the back door. He wished he hadn't. His gaurdian angel was lying on the ground, blood pouring from her leg and staining her jeans. Other parts of her body was bruised. He saw him in front of her, hovering over her as he pushed her onto her back and held the gun to her forehead. Their mother was laying against the kitchen cabniets, blood pouring down her chest, obviously dead. Yuki panted raspily as her eyes wandered to him. 

"Any last words, lovely Yuki?" He taunted, his index finger brushing the trigger.

Yuki nodded before kicking him in the nuts with her good leg and cried out to Koushi, "RUN! RUN AS FAST AS YOU FUCKING CAN, KOUSHI! I LOVE YOU!" 

Their father growled before shooting her straight in the head. She didn't even say anything. Her eyes were still opened, suddenly dull and staring at him like a spirit in a horror movie. Koushi trembled violently and fell to his knees, not knowing what to do. If he ran, his father would shoot him. What if he didn't? He could survive. The man's head slowly turned to Koushi and he set down the gun. 

"Oh, Koushi," He spat in disgust, grabbing him by the neck and choking him. Koushi just sobbed, not knowing what else to do. The only two people who could save him were both dead in front of him. "Hah, I almost forgot about you... Hmm... Well... I wasn't really thinking when I shot them..." He talked to himself as he held Koushi up, admiring his painful expression. "You know what else is so much better to see than death, son?"

Koushi just tried to gurgle out the words "seeing someone live" even though he knew it was wrong. He was unable to, however, for the large hands had prevented him from doing such a thing.

"Answer me you asshole," He spat.

Koushi tried his best to sputter out, "l-life..."

"Pft, you're just like your mother." He threw him against the ground. "It's seeing someone suffer in front of your very own eyes; seeing someone cry and wail and bleed so much they just want to die. Don't you want to die now, Koushi?"

"Y-Yes..." Koushi admitted, his cold body trembling.

"Well, you can't. You can only suffer. And don't think you can cry for help for your soulmate or anyone. Then you will get even worse treatments that'll make you regret being born even more, got it, pussy?" 

Koushi said nothing, and was punished with a kick to the cheek. He whimpered and murmured out, "O-Okay..."

"I can't hear you, pipsqueak. Louder." He demanded.

"Okay..." He said normally.

"LOUDER!" He shouted with wrath.

"OKAY!" He cried.

"I SAID LOUDER!" He screeched.

"OKAY! I UNDERSTAND!" Koushi wailed, tears streaming down his cheeks and was beat in the ribs with his foot and scoffed at. He shot him in the ankle to make sure that he wouldn't try escaping. Koushi cried even more as the man eventually left him after watching, to his room. 

Soulmate, help me! You're the only one I can rely on now! Koushi begged in his mind as he saw something appear on his arm in bold letters.

Who are you?

He knew he couldn't reply.

 

 

Daichi finished writing the simple question on his arm as he heard his sister starting to sob. He slowly opened to door to find her on the bed, a phone held to her ear as she spoke frantically into it, along the lines of, "Hey, are you there? Please answer me, I heard gunshots from your house! Please, are you there?! Are you alive?!"

"Nee-san?" He asked in confusion. She looked up at him and finally turned off the phone, staring at him with eyes wide and tears rolling down her cheeks. "W-What's wrong?"

"We have to get out of here before we get killed," she spoke, obviously paranoid. "You heard the gunshots coming from Yuki-chan's house, right?!"

"T-There were gunshots?" Daichi asked in alarm, suddenly tensing up.

"Yes, Daichi. We have to get out of here. Go pack some things in a bag and wait for me in the living room. I'm calling 119." She spoke frantically. "We'll go to Grandma's, okay? Mom and Dad will understand why we ran once I tell her."

Daichi just nodded and rushed to his room, grabbing his small suitcase and stuffing clothing and some of his small possesions into it, such as some of his favorite manga and video game device. He packed a toothbrush and his small amount of toothpaste and his earbuds and MP3 player. He heard his sister also packing while speaking to the emergency people. 

"Hello, what is your emergency?" A feminine voice asked.

"I just heard g-gunshots from my friend's house, ma'am, along with screaming and wailing," she replied shakily. "M-My friend has an ab-abusive father, so I t-think it was him... Her address is 6231 S-Sakura D-Drive, K-Karasuno, M-Miyagi."

"Okay. What's your friend's name?"

"H-Her name is Sugawara Yuki, and she has a younger brother named Sugawara Koushi."

"Her father's and mother's name?"

"Sugawara T-Taeko," Sakiko sputtered out, "and Sugawara Emiko."

"Okay, we'll send police cars and an ambulance as soon as possible to investigate the scene. Please may you stand by if we have some other questions for you?" She asked.

"O-Of course, ma'am... Thank you so much." 

"Anyday." And the call ended.

"Daichi, we're going to stay for a while. I'm calling Mom now, okay? Be careful, and if you hear anything suspicious tell me about it and don't go outside until the police arrive."

"Okay, Nee-san." Daichi responded simply, but was shivering to the bone out of fear. He sat down on his bed and thought about the incident that probably happened at her best friend's home. He glanced down at his question. He wrote down in the same bold letters: I'm scared.

Me too. His soulmate replied, written in a red, sketchy font that took a while to write.

Why? Daichi asked in amazement, happy that they responded. However, after that, it was completely blank besides for a few more words:

If I tell you, I'm going to get hurt. So please, HELP ME.

Daichi watched in alarm as the words were quickly scribbled out in the same red color.


	2. Chapter 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daichi loved the small flower patterns creep up his skin. However, he didn't know the story behind them.  
>  .  
>  .  
>  .  
>  .  
>  .  
>  Daichi Sawamura is your typical middleschool jock who wishes he could meet his beautiful and talented soulmate. Your soulmate would write on their skin, and it'd appear on your skin. Daichi tried to contact them through drawing on his skin, but they'd never reply. On the other side, Koushi Sugawara is held hostage, unable to ask his soulmate for any help. So, instead, he uses dingbats made up of flowers made with a razor to try to speak to him. But who would ever think that he was trying to call for help, especially his probably-normal soulmate? Will Daichi even realize that his soulmate's in trouble?

Daichi walked down the road with a large yawn of exhaustion. He was walking alone, towards the middle school he had been at for two years, Izumitate Junior High. He had moved towns, away from Karasuno. His parents had moved them to another town because of that night when he was only ten years old.

He remembered the night where his sister was sitting on her bed, crying. He remembered having to tell the police some questions they answered. He remembered walking into the home and seeing two women dead on the ground; his sister's best friend, Yuki, and Yuki's mother, dead. His eyes widened at the sight of so much blood and so much shattered glass and plates. They had to release the dogs and they picked up the scent of Yuki and her brother leaving the house and coming back in, along with a man's scent who was all over the house. There was ripped parts of a boy's shirt and sneakers that were worn not too long ago.

Daichi shook his head. Everything was fine now. The only thing he was concerned about was, on the same night, he watched his soulmate write back to him saying they were scared and they'd get hurt if they told him why. They begged for help but never replied when he tried to ask questions, like where they lived and what their name was. He wanted to meet them and talk to them, asking them the questions out of concern. 

"Hey, Sawamura!" A fimiliar voice called.

Daichi's head turned to a boy with light brown hair and a bit of freckles that covered his face. Ikejiri Hayato. Daichi smiled as he jogged over and started walking next to him. "Good morning, Hayato," He spoke.

"You too, Sawamura," Ikejiri replied. "You looked really in thought though, sorry I interrupted you." 

"Oh, it's fine," Daichi shrugged it off. "I was just thinking about my soulmate."

"Eh, that's normal." He placed a hand on his shoulder. "What about them, exactly?"

"Well... I remember one night I had to evacuate my home because someone murdered almost everybody in my neighbor's house and my parents were afraid they'd come to us too." Daichi briefly explained. "I remember I told my soulmate I was scared, and they told me the same... They said they couldn't explain why because they'd get hurt, and they begged for help. But quickly after that, they scribbled it out as if it was a mistake to write it. And they wrote it in a red, sketchy font... almost like they cut themselves to tell me." 

"Wow, that's pretty...mysterious." Hayato said after a moment of hesitation. "Did you try to help?"

"Yeah, I asked them where they lived and why they'd get hurt... But they didn't reply. Now they only draw flowers on their skin." He exposed his arm to his friend, showing him a collection of flowers that was scattered in order across his muscular arm. Hayato's eyes widened in amazement. 

"Well, they are quite the artist." Hayato observed. "But yeah, that's weird."

Daichi just shrugged with a long sigh. "Oh well," he murmured in disappointment, almost giving up. 

"Hey, you shouldn't give up." Hayato remarked. "You never give up. It's not like you." 

"How will I get to meet them, though?" Daichi asked.

"Maybe tell them where you are? What your name is? Stop asking things from them, tell them things about you." Hayato suggested.

"Why didn't I think of that," Daichi questioned himself with a low growl of irritaiton.

Hayato just chuckled. "It's okay, Sawamura. That happens to me a lot." 

 

 

It was lunch time now. Hayato and him were sitting at the roof, eating their lunch. "Do you want to play volleyball today?" Hayato asked, looking over at him.

"Nah..." Daichi declined, staring at the clouds that slowly passed over the hills and to the ocean. 

"Why not?" Hayato asked. Usually, Daichi always agreed to play volleyball in the gymasium with his good friend.

"I'm just...thinking. I just want to think." Daichi explained, then felt a tingling on the back of his hand. He looked at it and a beautiful floral pattern appeared on it, and up along his fingers. Hayato watched as well, glancing up at Daichi who couldn't help but smile at the patterns. 

"Today I actually met my soulmate," Hayato said quietly with blush tingling on his cheeks, remembering what happened in class.

"Who is it?" Daichi asked, but did not take his gaze off of the flowers.

"It's Yui-san," Hayato blushed and looked to the side. Yui was also their good friend, sharing the same amount of passion about volleyball with them and had almost all the same classes. Sometimes they would eat lunch together, but not often.

"Oh, congratulations." Daichi replied.

"T-Thanks," Hayato's face became more red and he stared down at his lunch.

"You're welcome." Daichi said.

I wonder if my soulmate's in danger... Maybe they're being abused or something... Daichi thought. What if they're depressed? Are they getting bullied in the school he goes to? Do they even go to a school? Ugh, there's so many things I don't know about them. Are they even male or female? Wait... Can you even have a soulmate the same sex as you?

"Hey, Ikejiri." Daichi suddenly spoke.

"What?" Hayato said.

"Have you ever met someone who has a soulmate the same sex as them?" Daichi asked.

"Oh yeah... I know a girl named Akane... Her soulmate's also a girl." Hayato replied.

"Oh, okay..." Daichi trailed off.

Maybe my soulmate's male, then? Probably not, actually... That's super rare. But I wonder what they look like... Daichi imagined a short girl, probably that went to his upper chest, with long, beautiful gray hair and hazel eyes, not too skinny but not too chubby...

The bell cut off his daydreaming and he shook his head. "Come on, Sawamura." Hayato said, grabbing his bento and waiting for him to stand up and follow him back to their classes. 

"Yeah, okay. Coming." He stood up and they walked back to the classrooms.

 

 

Later that night, Daichi was laying half-asleep in bed. He quickly drifted off to sleep, his dreams overtaking him. 

In this dream, there was a large flowering cherry-blossom tree that he recongized. The tree behind their school, overlooking the track. There was a boy sitting against the trunk, his short, light gray hair dangling over his sierra brown eyes. He had pale skin that was marked with the same floral patterns Daichi had found all over his body. Daichi walked over to him slowly, and the boy looked up. A large smile came across the boy's face as he noticed Daichi coming towards him and tears welled up in his eyes.

Daichi sat down next to him and glanced at his questions on the boy's arm. His eyes brightened up slightly, his heart beginning to pound in his chest. "What's your name?" He asked gently to him.

The boy tried to reply, but as he opened his mouth to speak blood dripped out. Daichi looked alarmed and he jolted away from him. The boy struggled to talk, gurgling up the blood and tears streaming down his eyes. He panted heavily and Daichi tried to help, but it didn't work. His soulmate was dying in front of him.

Suddenly, the setting changed. He was at the Sugawara house, and his soulmate was now lying on the ground, much younger than before with the scribbled writing he had saw on the night of the gunshots. He couldn't see Daichi, nor could the man who walked down the stairs and kicked him in the head, then grabbed him by the neck and dragged him out of the house. Daichi followed and they jumped into a car that quickly drove off. A few minutes later, five police cars and two ambulances rolled up into the driveway and around it. They investigated the scene and Daichi's eyes suddenly widened as his younger self and Sakiko talked to the policemen.

He jolted awake and stared at the ceiling, his dream disappearing. 

A slow, long sigh escaped his mouth.

The memory flashed back into his head of his sister speaking to the police.

"Her name is Sugawara Yuki, and she has a younger brother named Sugawara Koushi." 

Could his soulmate be Yuki's brother Sugawara Koushi?


	3. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daichi loved the small flower patterns creep up his skin. However, he didn't know the story behind them.  
>  .  
>  .  
>  .  
>  .  
>  .  
>  Daichi Sawamura is your typical middleschool jock who wishes he could meet his beautiful and talented soulmate. Your soulmate would write on their skin, and it'd appear on your skin. Daichi tried to contact them through drawing on his skin, but they'd never reply. On the other side, Koushi Sugawara is held hostage, unable to ask his soulmate for any help. So, instead, he uses dingbats made up of flowers made with a razor to try to speak to him. But who would ever think that he was trying to call for help, especially his probably-normal soulmate? Will Daichi even realize that his soulmate's in trouble?

Koushi stood in his room. No, no it wasn't his room... It was just another motel he stayed in. He had his own room, a small bedroom with a junky bed. The blankets were torn and stained with who knows what. Koushi had his own bathroom, too, a bathroom with specks of blood scattered across the white countertop and the metallic mirror. There were about four razor blades to the side of the sink, two dull and stained with blood, and two very sharp. Koushi gazed down at the marker on his skin that was drawn from his soulmate that had recently appeared that morning.

Well... If you won't say anything, I'm Sawamura Daichi. I go to Izumitate junior high in the Miyagi Prefecture. I had a dream recently, and I think it's about you. What do you look like? I'm the average height with short black hair and slightly tan. Not really, though. I play volleyball too, and my practice after school goes until five in the evening. 

Koushi had to read it over countless times until he realized he knew someone with the surname Sawamura. 

Sawamura Sakiko...

"I want to go see Saki-chan," He whispered to himself, remembering the quote he had murmured to his dead sister Yuki.

Didn't Sakiko have a younger brother?

Koushi sighed. He really couldn't remember. He only remembered a muscular shadow always in a different part of the house. Maybe Daichi wasn't her younger brother. Maybe he just had the same surname but wasn't related to him. 

However, there was one thing Koushi did know... He knew that Izumitate Junior High was near their motel. He saw it while peeking out of the bus window when his dad forced him along to the new motel, always being on the run from the police. Yes, Koushi was dragged along by his father and abused often. He had to hold in his cries so the very close neighbors couldn't get suspicious. Sometimes he couldn't help it, causing his father to literally tape his mouth shut with painful scotch tape that would tear his skin slightly as he yanked it off.

Koushi collapsed onto the bed, staring at the ceiling. Inhaling the odious scent, Koushi thought about the past five years. Always on the run, all the way across Japan. He saw lots of sights and drew each flower he saw onto his skin with his razor blade he had taken out of his shaving razor. He had been abused by his father like mentioned before. He was tormented by his father as well, telling him how weak he was and how much he was like his pathetic mother. Koushi knew he was poignant. He was well aware that there was no sign of hope ahead, but he stayed alive, fought through the pain of abuse and self-harm, just in case.

Just in case a savior like this Daichi would come and save him.

Koushi looked at his arm again and sighed. He dragged his feet back to the bathroom counter, struggling to even walk, as if cement was dragging behind him which made it impossible to walk, like in prison. But he walked to the bathroom anyway and wrote back, hoping to get a reply as soon as possible so he could scribble out the words before his father came.

Just as he was about to graze his arm, the door swung open and made a crash against the wall.

Oh no, Koushi thought in alarm. There was the all-too-familiar man in the doorway. He stomped up to him and clutched his marked arm. "And what are you doing?" He spat in his ear intimidatingly, his atrocious behavior always frightening Koushi. His heart hammered heavily in his chest.

"Nothing, father." He replied with a slightly trembling voice.

"What's this?" He growled lowly, his already ruthless grip on his arm tightening so hard that his knuckles turned white. Koushi bit his lip, swallowing back a whimper as he read it over. "Talking to your soulmate, huh?" 

"N-No, he just... He just talked to me. I've never said anything back to him." Koushi spoke truthfully, but there was still a brutal impact between his father's clenching fist and Koushi's head. He stumbled to the side and cut off the wail that erupted uncontrollably from his bruised lips. 

"Don't you dare make a sound, pussy." He threatened, another swing coming to his shoulder which made him fall to the ground as he let go of his arm, releasing him. Not long after, the tip of his pointy shoe stabbed into his rib, causing Koushi's instinct to break in and curl his legs against his chest, trying to shield it from his foot. "Move your legs." He demanded.

Koushi slowly moved his legs out in front of him, exposing his already injured body to his father who attacked it with his other foot, the original one holding down his legs so they couldn't move. Koushi let him, his teeth digging into his now bleeding lip as he shook hysterically. Tears welled up in his eyes as he waited for yet another swing, probably to the head, but there was nothing.

"Lame," he spat, slamming the door behind him. "I'm going out to drink; I'll be back at midnight tonight. If you try to escape, you know what's going to happen." He called from the other room and then another door closing. 

Koushi leaned against the wall for a moment, just sobbing. He knew he couldn't fight back, at least, by himself. He needed someone in his life now that Yuki and his mother had been gone for about five years.

A few minutes passed before he raised himself up, his entire body leaning against the wall so he wouldn't fall back to the floor. Yes, he needed someone to lean on, someone to keep him on his feet. The only thing he could lean on was the wall now. 

He talked with it often.

Koushi's shaking, cold hand pushed him away from the wall and to the sink. He grabbed one of the blades and wrote reluctantly in his arm, an ominous feeling spreading throughout his whole body. He knew that it was quite the risk to talk to his soulmate, but he couldn't go on any longer. He couldn't handle the pain and the loneliness, the despicable behavior of his father, and having nobody to talk to besides a mere wall... 

He wrote back slowly:

I'm Sugawara Koushi... I have gray hair and brown eyes with pale skin... I'm held hostage in a motel near your school right now in room 122... The motel name is Izumitate Motel. My father has been abusing me for five years since the incident you probably remember when my sister, Yuki, died. Please, please help me. I need help. Please. 

It was in small writing. He stared down at it before crying in relief as he instantly wrote back.

Oh, I know that place. It's close to my school on the way towards my house. Can you meet me out there at six?

Koushi almost had a seizure out of enthusiasm. Could someone actually care for him? Or is it a trap? No, no, this is his soulmate... He knew his soulmate wouldn't try to hurt him.

Yeah. Koushi wrote back. Scribble this out so my father doesn't find out about this, please. He wrote before he began to scribble out the top, wincing and shaking as he did so.

Who knew it could be so easy?


	4. Chapter 3

Daichi scribbled out the tiny conversation on his arm. He didn't know that his soulmate would so quickly open up to him and write where he was. However, his explanation was correct; gray hair and brown eyes. And he said his name was Sugawara Koushi... 

A large smile grew on his face.

"Sawamura!" His teacher shouted, instantly snatching his attention.

He stiffened up and straightened his back, staring up at his teacher. "Y-Yes, Sensei?"

"Can you answer the question?" She asked. Daichi looked down on his paper, unaware of what question they were on. He blushed in embarrassment, his finger trailing down the page as all eyes were on him. "We're not on that page, Sawamura. Have you been paying attention?" She growled with irritation.

"N-No, Sensei." Daichi admitted, causing some of the kid's frowns to curve into teasing grins.

"Please pay attention. If you don't, the next time will be detention after this class," She threatened, her head tilting back to the paper. "May anyone else answer this?" 

Yui's hand shot up along with a few other children.

"Yes, Michimiya?"

"The answer is..." She hesitated for a short moment, "B."

"Does everyone agree?" She glanced back at the class as Daichi shifted uncomfortably in his seat. He wanted school and practice to be over already, to finally see his soulmate. He wanted to hold him so close and tell him that he'll never have to see his father again. The kids around him nodded and, to Daichi's relief, the bell rang, dismissing the children for lunch. Daichi nearly sprang out of his seat in excitement, throwing the chair back into the desk behind him. The girl sitting behind him flinched in alarm and Daichi whipped around.

"S-Sorry," Daichi stammered. "I didn't mean to frighten you."

"Oh, it's okay." The girl smiled back as Daichi awkwardly stepped out of his seat and pushed it into his desk. He strolled out the door to see Hayato waiting for him with both of their bentos in either of his hands.

"I grabbed your bento on the way here," Hayato grinned. 

"Thank you," Daichi grabbed his that his good friend handed to him. 

"My class got dismissed early and you almost killed that poor girl behind you," Hayato teased. "Why have you been so paranoid lately?"

"I'm not paranoid anymore... I'll tell you while we eat," Daichi said. "Come on, let's go to the gymnasium. I want to play today."

"Woo!" Hayato cheered and they started walking before a voice interrupted him.

"May I join too?" 

They turned around. Hayato's face lit up. It was Yui, standing there with her short hair dangling at her cheeks. Hayato glanced awkwardly at Daichi for approval, and Daichi nodded shortly. "Of course," Hayato grinned and Yui ran over, clutching Hayato's hand instantly. Hayato smiled and grasped her hand in return. Daichi looked over at them and smiled.

Would he ever get to hold his soulmate's hand like that?

"But yeah, Daichi. Why have you been so jumpy?" Yui questioned. "Is it the practice match coming up this weekend?"

"No, it's... I'll tell you too." He cut off what he was going to say, glancing back at the hallways as they ambled down the hallways. He glanced back at the flowering trees and fluffy clouds floating in the sky. 

They arrived at the gymnasium and they sat on the steps. There was the pounding of basketballs against the floor. The volleyball net was up on the other side of the court and there were already some volleyball players practicing attacks. 

"So why have you been like this recently?" Yui asked curiously, tilting her head as they sat. Some basketball players passed them, causing them to scoot to the side.

"Well... Last night, I had this weird dream... about my soulmate, I'm pretty sure." Daichi said slowly, processing the dream. "It was pretty creepy... So I was really paranoid about it. Then, later today in class, my soulmate replied to me. They matched up with the boy in..."

"Your soulmate's a boy?" Hayato asked.

Daichi blushed. "U-Uh, yeah..."

"Oh, okay. Continue." Hayato waved his arms in emphasis that he didn't mind.

"Yeah, anyway. He told me he's being abused by his father in a motel nearby... You know that one on the way towards my home?"

"Izumitate Motel?" Yui asked.

"Yeah, that one... I think he's been moving all across Japan because they couldn't afford a house... But I told him that I could be there at six after practice, and he agreed to it. I'm just...really excited to meet him finally." Daichi smiled to himself.

"What's his name?" Hayato questioned.

"Sugawara Koushi," Daichi said, causing both of his friend's eyes to widen in alert.

"S-Sugawara K-Koushi..." Yui sputtered out in terror. 

"Are you sure he's part of the Sugawara family?" Hayato stared right into his eyes.

"Y-Yes... He told me..." Daichi looked a bit reluctant now.

"What's his father's name?" Yui asked urgently.

"Uh..." Daichi hesitated for a moment.

"His father's name is Sugawara Taeko, and his mother's is Sugawara Emiko..."

"Sugawara Taeko." Daichi replied simply. His blood ran cold in fear. What was so bad about Koushi? He could understand his father being a bad, illegal man, but...

"Sugawara Taeko and Koushi have the death penalty right now." Yui and Hayato said in a perfect chorus. Then Hayato spoke after a small hesitation of them glancing at each other, Yui allowing Hayato to speak. "The police have been looking for him for so long. Apparently, he killed so many people at a night club at Tokyo they were at once. They both shot a crazy amount of people with machine guns. And apparently, Koushi killed his sister and mother five years ago... You were his neighbor before, right?"

Daichi didn't say anything. Maybe Koushi was a criminal. Maybe he was setting up a trap to kill him. Maybe he wasn't even at the hotel, or cut himself, or had an abusive father... Maybe he was his partner in crime. His gaze was focused at his bento and he closed it. Yui and Hayato hesitated before looking at each other in slight regret. Yui grabbed his shoulder and squeezed it. "We didn't mean to discourage you. I doubt he'd hurt his soulmate." She spoke tenderly with comfort.

Daichi just stood up. "No, Yui, it's fine." He stared at the ground for the moment.

"Are you still going to the motel?" Hayato asked ever so softly. "We can accompany you." 

"I'm not so sure now," Daichi said slowly. "I think I will. And please, yes, come with me. Both of you." He glanced back at them. They nodded in return.

"Of course we'll come with you, Daichi." Yui stood up and hugged him, trying to show more consolation and reassurance. Daichi pushed her away slightly, and she got the message, taking one step back. 

"Meet me at the gate at the front, and we'll walk to the motel from there." Daichi said, beginning to walk away from the steps.

"You're not going to play?" Hayato asked as Yui just blankly stared at him.

"No," Daichi said. "I'm just going to think."

"Okay," Hayato said slowly. "Just talk to us if you're stumped..." 

Daichi merely nodded and walked to the roof. He sat there and overlooked the school, letting his thoughts pool like a leaking pipe in his head. So many questions bombarded each simple thought. He could imagine the same gray-haired boy from his dream shooting up a night club. He could imagine him luring in Daichi and killing him as well.

Would someone kill their soulmate?

Daichi blinked and scowled.

"Would someone," Daichi whispered to himself, the thoughts of him killing Daichi so bloodcurdling to him, "...kill their soulmate?"

His muscular chest raised in a deep inhale, as if absorbing more sinister questions with most likely sinister thoughts. 

He'd have to find out at the motel. That's where all of his answers lay, just beyond the door of room 122 where Koushi was. He'd know after opening the doorknob into the motel room. Or maybe outside the motel. Or behind it. Either way, he'd know. As long as he went to meet his soulmate. If he would kill him, he'd accept his fate, the wrong choice he might make.

He'd risk his life for his soulmate...of course.

That's what soulmates do, right?


	5. Chapter 4

5:55.

Koushi's eyes were glued on the clock. He remembered when he was younger when Yuki perked up every time the numbers were the same on the clock. Like how she noticed it at 2:22 in the afternoon, or 11:11 at night. Koushi would ask why, then Yuki would say something along the lines of, "well, when the numbers line up on the clock, then you make a wish while it's still there and it'll come true."

Koushi stared at the clock before hesitating.

"I wish..." He spoke aloud, hesitating. What could he wish for? Could he wish his father would die? Could he wish for a million dollars? He didn't know. Then he finally murmured, "I wish this soulmate thing will work out..." 

He watched the minute hand on the clock flick to the small tick after the 11. Then he stood up and looked at the mirror, looking at himself and for once caring what he did look like. His skin was extremely pale, like a ghost's, and dark shadows underneath his eyes made him look like a vampire. He frowned at himself. His arms were torn and cut and bruised with the flowers, along with his neck, hands and legs. He grabbed his jacket and dusted it off, wrapping it tightly around him. Nobody needed to see his scars. He stared at the door for a moment, his hands digging into the pockets of his painfully tight jeans.

It was as if he was trying to fight someone. He approached the door very cautiously, his hand laying on the doorknob. He had never done something like this before. For some reason, Koushi never found the bravery to walk out of the door of Room 122 and step into the outside world, to see people and life ahead of him, cars moving along the roads and the birds tweeting and flying together. 

His eyes softened in sudden discouragement as he turned the doorknob. His head pounded heavily and he felt dizzy, the consequences piling onto his shoulders. He glanced back at the clock. 5:58. 

Finally, the doorknob turned with a twist of his bony wrist. The door pushed open, the light burning into his face, causing him to squint. Voices echoed in his head, some with fear, some with anger, some with reassurance and inspiration; overall it was compelling. 

He emitted a large sigh. It was as if all of his concerns were in his breath as he pushed the door out into the world, emerging from it and looking at the world for a moment. Not being sure of when you'd see such a sight again was truly frightening. 

Koushi stood in the shade for a moment, observing his surroundings before slowly walking into the sunlight. His eyes squinted as he gazed up at the clouds and sky. It was sunset. The purple and orange and red background with pink clouds on them fascinated Koushi. There were trees outlining the roads and there were hills with more trees and homes and schools on them. Across the road, there was a small convenience store, three people walking in. A few cars passed down the black tar and into the distance. Koushi never got to see such a sight often. It was the little glances he'd take from the corner of the window that made him appreciate life. He savored every single thing he saw, especially the flowers and the birds and the happy expression on other's faces.

An expression Koushi would make soon... he hoped.

Before he knew it, he was already walking past the parked cars and to the sidewalk. He stood there for a moment, his eyes glued on the stunning horizon. A small smile crept onto his face as he hid his hands in his pockets and the hood shadowed his face ever so slightly. He was so caught up in the tranquil moment that he didn't hear the voices in front of him.

"Koushi?"

A jolt erupted throughout Koushi as he stared up at him. His eyes widened in alarm. It was a boy a bit taller than him with muscular arms and legs, along with slightly tan skin and chocolate brown eyes with black short hair. There was a girl on the left of him with short brown hair and eyes. And finally, on his right, there was a slightly shorter boy with umber hair. Koushi stumbled back in alarm and hid his face, fear rushing through him. "H-How do you know my name?" He sputtered out.

The boy in the center just took off his green and white jacket, exposing his arm that was marked with the flowers that Koushi cut into his skin. In response, Koushi gasped quietly and gazed up at him, his face showing ever so slightly. "I'm Sawamura Daichi," the boy said, then gestured to his companions, "this is Ikejiri Hayato and Michimiya Yui."

"Y-Yui..." Koushi whispered. Yui looked confused. "O-Oh! I'm sorry, I just know someone who's name is Yuki, and they sounded similar..." He trailed off.

He's so jumpy. Daichi thought with the strangling tension inside of him. Why was he being so jumpy? What if there was a gun in the pocket of his hoodie? Was he hiding something?

"It's fine, Sugawara," Yui tried to smile, but she really couldn't. Hayato wasn't smiling either. Koushi dropped the hood off of his head so it fell down on his lower nape.

"I'm Sugawara Koushi," Koushi bowed over a 90-degree angle in front of him with respect. "It's nice to meet you!"

"You too," Daichi was the only one who managed to pull the fake smile. However, it quickly dropped when Koushi shuffled his hands in his pockets and they all backed away slightly. Koushi looked up at them.

"I-Is it my face?" He asked ever so quietly, his finger gently touching his scarred cheek. Daichi shook his head and took a step forward, his friends giving him worried glances that read, please no, it's dangerous.

"No, it's not that." Daichi smiled and cupped his hand around Koushi's cheek, causing Koushi to flinch back in alarm and hold the part of his face Daichi touched. He wanted to run back inside the room and stay there forever now. "What's wrong?" He questioned in a more uncertain voice. 

"P-Please don't hurt me," Koushi murmured under his breath. Yui's eyebrows furrowed as she looked at him.Hayato was stiff as a board, probably on the verge of running to the nearest person to report that he was in front of them at this very moment. "Please, please just help me!" Koushi shouted, gripping onto Daichi's shirt as he lunged forward. Daichi stumbled back in alarm as Hayato tore a pocket knife from his trousers and held it to Koushi's head. Koushi suddenly started shaking.

"Hayato, don't," Daichi said with anger in his tone. Koushi felt his body being pulled against Daichi's in a protective way. Daichi glanced down at the clearly frightened boy, feeling no weapon in any of his possible hiding places. Koushi wanted to break away but at the same time, he didn't. 

When was his last hug?

He remembered it. Five years ago, on his bed with Yuki, Yuki holding him close just like how Daichi was doing right now. Koushi gripped the back of Daichi's white sports shirt, not even caring if he was sweaty from his volleyball practice ten minutes before, and sobbed into his chest. Hayato and Yui looked alarmed but backed away.

"It's okay," Daichi mumbled into his ear. "I'm here. You won't ever have to live the way you are anymore."

Koushi sniffled into his chest, everything unaware to him, along with the voice of his nightmare. 

"Koushi?!"

"It's Taeko," Hayato breathed and stared ahead. At the mention of his father's name, Koushi and Daichi broke away and Koushi's brown eyes widened in apprehension at the sight of his father stomping towards them. Daichi and his friends were just as panicked as Taeko snatched Koushi's neck and choked him. On impulse, Daichi snatched Hayato's pocketknife and lunged at him, but was kicked away and onto the ground. Daichi attempted to cut his ankle, but it was useless. Taeko kicked him away, grabbing Koushi by the hair and holding him above the ground, the other hand holding the pistol who's mouth was digging into the side of Koushi's head. 

"Don't you dare," Daichi growled, but didn't have any power to stop him. Taeko smirked pridefully as more tears streamed down Koushi's pale cheeks and dropped from his chin, onto the cement.

"Who are you to stop me?" He said. "Did you expect that rescuing your poor, dying soulmate was so easy? A middle school boy standing up to a criminal?" 

Daichi didn't respond, nor did his friends. He really didn't know what to say. Seeing Koushi dangling in his grasp, his scalp and eyes red; it made Daichi feel guilty. He didn't care anymore if Koushi was as much as a criminal as Taeko, he just wanted to save him. He understood that before, he was only an innocent boy with a not-so-innocent life evolving around him. He understood it wasn't a choice when Koushi became a murderer.

"Why would you do this to people?"

"Shut up, kid," The man said after hesitation. "You better leave and never come near this piece of shit again, okay? If you take a step closer, I'm shooting."

Daichi sighed and nodded, the thoughts rushing through his head.

If I ran at him and the gun came forward ever so slightly, it'll graze his face. He wouldn't die. If I kicked his feet, the gun might fly up and graze the top of his head. He wouldn't die. 

He wouldn't die.

He's not going to die.

Daichi grabbed the pocket knife with a firmer grasp and he ran forward, shouting in exasperation. He cut the man's neck and the gun fired past Koushi's head, grazing his forehead which caused Koushi to wail. Before he knew it, Hayato and Yui were right beside him, Hayato lunging for the gun but getting shot in the leg, and Yui who managed to hit it out of his grasp and a few inches away. Koushi noticed this and grasped it in his trembling fingers, blood trickling down his face and over his eyes and nose. He threw the gun away as he heard police sirens in the background. The children at the convenient store, probably just going to get some snacks after club activities, must have called 119.

"All of you, put your hands up!"


	6. Chapter 5

Daichi's fingers lay on the white sheets in front of him, slowly being pushed up and let back down. His eyes observed the boy in front of him, laying there peacefully with his chest rising and falling ever so softly. There were bandages taped on his head, strands of smokey-gray hair hanging in front of them. 

"You have to wake up," Daichi said, "you can't go to jail... You have to convince them that it isn't your fault."

Koushi didn't respond.

Daichi sighed, standing up and pulling the curtains to the sides so the light shone on Koushi's angelic face. Koushi remained peacefully asleep. Daichi's hands pulled the window open and he looked at the modern scenery ahead of him. Tall buildings scraped the clouds and much honking was heard on the streets. Rain drizzled from the dark clouds above them. Across the street, Daichi noticed the police station and across from the courtroom, a place they'd be soon. 

The boy looked back at his soulmate with a frown. "Come on, Koushi," he said, gently nudging him.

Koushi's eyes fluttered open slowly, gazing up at the slightly taller boy hovering over him with concern. Koushi hesitated before murmuring, "Where am I?"

"You're in the hospital," Daichi murmured with reassurance. "We took you to the nearest one after the police came because you blacked out. Now we're in Tokyo because we have to go to court tomorrow evening... I got a hotel nearby with my mom after I explained what happened with Yui and Ikejiri." He explained briefly. "We just took you here because you wouldn't wake up."

Koushi stared at the white sheets in front of him. He shifted in the bed uncomfortably. "Can you come here?" He asked quietly with embarrassment. Daichi just nodded and climbed onto the bed where Koushi hugged him tightly, burying his face into his chest. Once again, his worries were absorbed from his mind when Daichi held him. Daichi gently moved his right hand so it touched the bandages around his head. Koushi whimpered. "It hurts."

"Sorry," Daichi just gently grasped his hair as Koushi nuzzled his head further into his embrace. 

"How am I going to convince them I'm innocent when I'm not?" Koushi whispered after a tense pause.

"I don't know," Daichi admitted, not knowing what else to say. He couldn't lie to him. "We'll figure out a way... Maybe they'll put you on watch... You'll just not have to do anything anymore." 

"But I'm getting the death penalty," Koushi began to sob. Daichi tightened his grip around him, not finding any words to use to comfort the clearly anxious boy. "Daichi, I don't want to die... We should've never met in the first place, and-"

"Koushi," Daichi suddenly growled. "Don't say that meeting you was a mistake. I'm glad I met you, even if I have to deal with all of this now, okay? I risked both of our lives back there. If this kept happening and I wasn't here, you'd never find any happiness and you'd commit suicide without even giving me a chance." 

"But I'm still not happy," Koushi said.

"Not at all?" Daichi asked.

"No, not at all..."

A long pause occurred before Daichi let go of him. "Fine, if I can't make you happy then I'll just leave." He spat, getting out of the bed. 

"W-Wait, that's not what I meant..." Koushi leaped out of the bed and clutched the back of his shirt desperately. Tears streamed down his cheeks as he rested his forehead on his back. "Please stay, please, please, please!..."

"Why should I?" Daichi questioned with an angry tone.

"Y-You're the only person who can help me," Koushi whispered. 

How desperately selfish, Daichi thought as he glared down at him. "Stop being selfish," he said aloud and yanked away from him, walking off.

"I-I'm not being selfish!" Koushi wailed. "I'm so grateful that you're here now, I promise! I'm just not happy. I mean, you wouldn't be happy either, right? If you were about to get put to death..."

"Don't explain how I'd feel," Daichi retorted. "And stop lying about being grateful, okay? You're not grateful. You'd be the slightest bit happy if you were grateful, but you aren't, according to you. If I was in your shoes, I'd be happy that I was here to help you." His voice remained calm, but inside he was bubbling with anger.

Koushi dashed to the hospital door and blocked Daichi from leaving. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean it like that!" He cried. "Please, please don't leave me!" His eyes were extremely red. "I'm grateful, I promise," he repeated.

"I don't believe you." Daichi reached for the doorknob but his hand was swatted away.

"You don't understand me, Daichi," Koushi whispered. "Can't you understand?! I've had nobody for so long; for five years! Of course, I'm fucking grateful that you're here, okay? I wouldn't have anyone else try to save me beside you." He sputtered out between sobs.

"Yeah right," Daichi was convinced now. "And if I don't understand you, I shouldn't be helping, right? Going back to the lifestyle you lived before is what you wanted, right? You don't want to cause me, my friends, and my family any trouble? Then I'll just leave." He pushed Koushi aside, making Koushi weakly grasp onto his clothing, panting heavily. He looked like he was being killed, which made Daichi feel a bit guilty.

"D-Don't..." He choked.

Daichi hesitated uncertainly before slamming the door on him, storming out of the hospital. Koushi's legs gave way, causing him to collapse onto his knees, leaning his forehead against the door. 

"I'm done talking with him," Daichi said with a fierce tone to the nurse who was waiting outside. She nodded and opened the door to see Koushi sobbing on his knees. She sighed. 

"Come on, Sugawara. Get up." She grabbed him by his shoulders and hauled him up, carrying him to his bed. She laid him down and hugged him comfortingly. Koushi didn't do anything besides cry. It didn't feel the same; it didn't feel like Daichi's hug. 

She pulled away and frowned at him, but replaced it with a fake smile. "It's going to be okay, Sugawara." She said reassuringly.

"No, it's not," Koushi murmured.

"You know, if you think like that, it will be worse. So try your best to look on the bright side." She brushed his hair behind his ears. "Daichi probably just got mad and didn't handle his emotions properly, along with you. Most teenagers don't know how to handle their emotions when they come so suddenly. He'll most likely come back to apologize tomorrow. If you look forward to that, then it'll have a better chance of it happening."

"What if he doesn't?" Koushi whispered, looking up at her dark blue, small eyes.

"If he doesn't..." She hesitated. "If he doesn't, he will someday. I promise you. You two were made soulmates for a reason, right?" She asked. "And you know, soulmates eventually make up no matter what. You know that Daichi can't stay mad at you forever." 

Koushi just nodded. "Thanks... Can you stay here? I don't want to be alone right now..."

"Of course, Sugawara-san." She sat down in the seat beside the bed, glancing at the slightly wilted flowers Daichi had brought him along with Yui and Hayato. "If you need to talk to me, I'm here."

"Thanks again... What was it...?" He asked, looking over at the woman.

"Kyioko Shimizu," she said softly.

"Kyioko-san, right..." Koushi turned onto his back and stared at the ceiling with a sigh. "Thanks, again..." He repeated for the third time that day.

"You don't need to thank me, Sugawara-san."


	7. Chapter 6

Daichi returned the next day with his mother and two friends to drive him to court.

As Koushi got into the back of the car, he sat next to Yui. The entire car was completely silent, making Koushi continuously shift awkwardly in his seat, leaning his head against the window. Thankfully it was extremely close to the hospital so he wouldn't have to be in that car any longer without crying.

Koushi was on the far right, next to Hayato, who kept giving him uneasy glances. On the far left was Daichi, who walked with a bit more force in his feet, his eyes a bit more narrowed. They entered the place and were brought to the court.

Apparently, Daichi's family had a lawyer named Chihiro who sat next to Daichi and Koushi. Koushi shifted uncomfortably in his seat while he was seated next to Daichi. Hayato and Yui, along with the three other witnesses who called (their names were supposedly Shoyo, Izumin, and Koji). There were two women who were tall and beautiful standing with the younger children. Koushi recognized them; the bartenders from the night club that survived when Koushi and Taeko shot up the night club they worked at. The three younger children looked terrified, probably never being a court case before, especially as witnesses. Most of the trust was put on them. To the side of them was the police, who obviously had the side of Taeko and Koushi to be killed.

Chihiro looked over at Daichi. "Sawamura, don't lose your cool, okay?" She leaned her arm on his shoulder as she said this, whispering into his ear. "The last thing these people want is shouting. Remain calm." She squeezed his shoulder slightly. Daichi only nodded in response. He glanced at Koushi, who looked as if he was going to have a panic attack.

"Koushi, it's okay," Daichi said gently, making him jolt in response. Koushi looked over to him, eyes watering already. Daichi wiped them away with the tips of his fingers. Then he turned back away, saying nothing more before the argument started. The judge walked to her stand and the argument began.

The judge explained the case. The infamous murderers Sugawara Taeko and Koushi, father and son, were found on the streets of Izumitate, in front of the Izumitate hotel. Taeko had threatened to shoot Koushi in the head but was attacked by Daichi and his two friends Yui and Hayato. According to past witnesses, Taeko and Koushi have shot up many public areas and killed many people. However, Taeko has forced Koushi into hostage when he was ten after killing his wife and daughter, Yuki. He also has been abusing Koushi behind the doors of different motels they've stayed in. Koushi didn't want to hurt people in the first place and was forced into murder by Taeko, making Koushi vow that he would never hurt anyone again if he was let go and put on watch. However, the police argue that according to the law both should be proven guilty due to killing the people.

"Koushi never shot anyone during the night in Tokyo," One of the women spoke up. "At the bar, I watched Koushi while hiding. He only fired his bullets at the ground and at the ceiling; he never hurt anyone that night. I took a video on my phone." She held up the small, rectangular device in her slender hand. Koushi felt Taeko's wrathful glare burning into the back of his head, which caused him to shift uncomfortably.

"There have been other times where Koushi has killed people," the police argued but was cut off by the judge who let an audible breath from her throat.

"Koushi, do you have anything to say to this?" She turned to the trembling Koushi. He felt Daichi's palm on his shoulder which caused him to relax a bit more. 

"M-Ma'am, like I've said before, I have killed other people, but it was against my will... I didn't want to get hurt from my father, so in most situations, I tried to not shoot anyone but only the ceiling and ground... However, I do admit I killed some people, and if you let me go I promise I will never do it again. If I do, then I won't care if you shoot me..." He bowed his head slightly in grief, tears welling in his eyes. Daichi grabbed his hand underneath the table, on his thigh and clutched it, as if saying, I'm here. Don't worry. Koushi squeezed his hand back.

Daichi spoke up. "Taeko should be arrested, though. I remember that on the night the police came to the Sugawara house five years ago, there were signs of him around the house and his scent was lingering on the two dead women in the home. He also has been abusing Koushi and actually killing people." He protested.

The judge hesitated in thought.

"Y-Yes, I heard my mother being killed with a gunshot when my s-sister, Sugawara Yuki, and I left the home five years ago... He also killed Sugawara Yuki right in front o-of my face..." He managed to stutter out, his other hand wiping away tears. 

She sighed. 

"Because Taeko has committed three major crimes, those being child abuse, domestic violence, and murder, he will be put to death tomorrow. On the other hand, because Koushi did kill some people, he will be put into juvy until he is twenty, and we will keep watch after he is let out."

Daichi felt his soulmate's grip tighten on his hand and he noticed Koushi's teeth grit together when he nodded. He knew if he talked he would just burst out crying. What was juvy like? Would he get beat up? Would he get beaten even more by everyone around him? 

Look on the bright side, he remembered the nurse's words echo through his head. Juvy couldn't really be that bad, right?

"Case closed." The judge announced.

Some other policemen came up, one with handcuffs in his hand. They waited by the door and everyone walked out, until it was just Daichi, Koushi, and the policemen. Daichi didn't want to let go of his hand so he squeezed it so hard his knuckles turned white. Koushi did the same and they walked over to them.

"Can I have a moment to say goodbye to him?" Daichi whispered to the two officers. They nodded and left the courtroom, letting them have their moment of goodbye.

"Well, we tried." Daichi enveloped him into a tight hug. "I love you, I love you, I love you..." He hugged him snugly. After a few seconds, Koushi tilted his head up so he was now looking right into Daichi's watering gaze. He sniffed slightly as Koushi's eyes widened. He never saw Daichi cry before. "I-I'm sorry I got angry at you back there in the hospital room and now you h-have to go..." Tears streamed down his face as Koushi just stood there in thought, watching Daichi murmur how pathetic and weak he was for crying while wiping his eyes with his fists.

Suddenly, Koushi pressed his lips against his. He wasn't a good kisser, no, and he didn't know how to even kiss, no - but Daichi still cherished it. At first, his eyes widened in alarm but at the same time joy, then he closed his eyes and held him close, kissing back. Koushi's hands cupped Daichi's cheeks and his thumbs gently pushed the tears that continued to spill down his cheeks to the side. 

They drew away after the pleasurable moment. "I love you too..." Koushi mumbled, obviously sobbing as well. "I'll send letters to you, okay? I bet they'll mail letters to you from juvy..." He smiled reassuringly, but it was so hard to smile his bottom lip quivered uncontrollably. 

"Okay..." Daichi shook, hugging him again. "O-Once you come out of juvy, we'll be twenty too, and I'll get enough money to afford college for both of us, I swear," Daichi vowed, cupping the angelic boy's cheeks in his large hands.

"T-Thank you, Daichi..." Koushi muttered, actually smiling when Daichi's lips pressed against his once again. They shared another passionate yet painful kiss and they walked out of the courtroom. "I love you."

"I love you too," Daichi said as the police went behind Koushi and clicked the handcuffs around him, leading him out to the police car to drive him to juvy now. "I'll see you in five years, okay?" He called.

Koushi didn't look back.


	8. Chapter 7

"Haaa? They caught you again, didn't they?" A voice laughed when Koushi entered the room of the juvy. There was a brunette quite taller than him standing with another boy beside him, his midnight-black hair hovering over his eyes. 

Why did I have to be taken to this juvy?

Koushi sighed and didn't say anything. A man with spiky blonde hair and a band that held it back looked down at him. "Ah, Sugawara-san. You're here again?" He chuckled, the cigarette dangling from the corner of his lips.

Koushi looked to the side. "Yes, Ukai," he sighed. He glanced to the side with a bit of embarrassment and flinched when Ukai's enormous hand ruffled his thin gray hair. 

"Well, you're going to be sharing rooms with Kageyama and Oikawa." He pointed to the boy who had the black hair and the brunette. Koushi also noticed he had navy blue eyes with an evil aura coming from him. Koushi just nodded and turned away. 

"Well, you know when everything is. Kageyama and Oikawa, go show this boy his room while I get him his uniform." He shooed them away and Oikawa turned to him.

"What got you in juvy now, Koushi?" Tooru smirked with his hand on his hip.

"Same thing as last time," Koushi responded dully. He knew Tooru from his first time in juvy when he got caught and his father didn't. However, he managed to escape juvy soon. He would've again if Daichi hadn't come into his life, but now risking his life to see him when he was too impatient with three years was too dangerous. 

"Oh, and this is Tobio-chan," Tooru pointed to the boy. "He's only in his first year of middle school. Weird, huh? Apparently, he's here for doing a bunch of graffiti on his school." He laughed. 

"Nice to meet you," Tobio bowed respectfully. 

"And Tobio-chan, this is Koushi-chan. He used to go here but he escaped last time." He leaned down to Tobio's ear and whispered so quietly Koushi couldn't hear, "he killed people, almost killed himself."

Koushi sighed once they arrived at the room. It was a room with no windows and three beds. One was a bunk-bed and then one single bed to the side, awaiting Koushi. Koushi sat down on the bed and noticed a staff member hand him his uniform and told them dinner would be at 5:00 pm.

"So, Koushi-chan, did you manage to meet your soulmate in the two years you were out?" Tooru asked, leaning his head in the palm of his hand.

"Yea," Koushi said after hesitation, not wanting to tell him anything about Daichi.

"Aww, I'm kind of jealous," Tooru whined, flopping down and into Koushi's lap, leaning the back of his head onto Koushi's chest. "It'll be weird snuggling you now."

"We never snuggled in the first place," Koushi pushed Tooru off of him as Tobio blankly watched. "I'm surprised you didn't come here for raping some little kid." 

"Koushi-chan!" Tooru gasped dramatically, clutching the fabric that covered the part of his chest where his heart was. "How could you say such a thing~?" Tobio chuckled from afar into his fist, causing Tooru to whip his head towards him. "And why are you laughing at your senpai?!"

"Sorry, Oikawa-san." Tobio apologized, not really meaning it.

"I'm guessing Kuroo, Bokuto, and Yaku are still here?" Koushi asked, taking off his shirt and replacing it with the uniformed shirt. Tobio stared at his marked body and then looked away, blushing in embarrassment. Koushi looked up at Tobio. "What is it?"

"I uh, just like the art on your skin... Did your soulmate do that?" He asked with a tilt of his head.

"O-Oh, no," Koushi rubbed his nape. "I did..." 

"Well, you're good at it... Better than me." Tobio complimented.

"Oi! I'm the only one here who gets to compliment Koushi-chan!" Tooru hissed protectively. Koushi just let out an audible sigh. "And yes, they all still are here. So are Dragon-kun and Yuu-chan."

"You know that I have a soulmate Oikawa, right?" He muttered. Tooru gave a pout with disapproval and Koushi added with a noticeable blush on his cheeks, "And I love him a lot."

"How cute,"Tooru scoffed. "Come on, Tobio-chan. Let's go and have Koushi-chan change his clothes in peace."

"Okay?" Tobio asked with confusion.

Koushi changed his uniform pants as well and put on the shoes that made his feet ache. He walked out and walked outside. Even if this place was surrounded by tall, stone walls and electrical-wire faces, Koushi still was thankful for the blue sky and fluffy white clouds. 

"Hey, Koushi." 

Koushi looked up to see a small boy with short and spiky, light brown hair and hazel eyes looking up at him. A small smile appeared on Koushi's face as he looked down at the short boy. His hands shoved into the pockets of his pants and looked down at him. "Hi, Yaku-san," he greeted.

"Thankfully you're back here again... I almost got killed taking care of these baboons," Morisuke joked with a small chuckle. "What got you here now?"

"They just caught me again..." Koushi said simply.

"You gotta be more careful, you know," Morisuke sighed. "Sometimes you're just like them."

"S-Shut up, I am not," Koushi growled back. Only here he felt comfortable, and acted like an actual average boy. He knew many people here; he knew he was respected by the other kids here. Most of them referred to him as a mother figure, hence being empathetic but at the same time strict when it came to this certain group. Some were like him, just like this boy Morisuke with the short brown hair and hazel eyes. Koushi also knew he probably committed the most biggest crime out of all of these other children: murder. Most kids here did something illegal, like graffiti, did a certain drug, or got in a street fight. Only a few, he knew, did murder like he did.

"Pft, sure. So I heard that you got the death penalty but you were brought here instead?" He asked.

"Mhmm..." Koushi hummed, thanking Daichi for that for probably the thirtieth time. 

"Who was that guy who managed to bail you out of that penalty?" Morisuke questioned with a slight tilt of his head. Koushi stiffened slightly. 

"Well...uhhh..." Koushi tapped his chin. "He was just a friend I met when I was in the country..." 

"Oh, well, he's pretty good at convincing people," Morisuke observed. 

Koushi only hummed in response. 

"When are you getting out of here?" Koushi saked.

"Five more years, finally..." Morisuke said.

"Me too..."

"Wow, lucky. For getting back in. Only five years?" He huffed with a bit of impatience and jealously.

"Yeah."

"Well, when you do get out... What do you think of doing after? Maybe we can finally become partners in crime, like we discussed before?" Morisuke asked hopefully.

Koushi flinched in alarm, his blood running cold. "Yeah, maybe..." He said slowly, glancing at the darkening sky. "I'm going to sleep."

"You're going to sleep through dinner," Morisuke remarked as Koushi turned away. "Are you sure?"

"Positive." Koushi called after him, waving his hand in dismissial. 

"Okay..."

 

Koushi's body sank into the firm mattress uncomfortably. He stared up at the ceiling with thought. He thought that he'd never have to come back to this place. Too many friends were made, there were too many happy moments, and too many promises promised. It was the first time in his life Koushi had let go of his worries and future consquences. Now they all began to pile back onto his shoulders. Koushi had a soulmate now who he promised to go back to after being let out in juvy, but surely he couldn't break the promises that he made with some of the boys from this juvy?

Surely Daichi would be against the reason Koushi would try to say: "I need to go back to killing people for the sake of my good friend". He knew positively that he would simply leave, leave with a reply along the lines of, "Okay, I'm not going to stop you. I already tried". 

Koushi gritted his teeth. What would Morisuke have to say when he'd admit that 'friend' was actually his soulmate? He'd understand, right? He probably would. But what about the other promises he made with his other old friends?

"Sugawara-san?" 

Koushi turned his head towards the awkward voice. He noticed Tobio standing in the doorway with a small plate of food. Koushi's stomach thundered as he sat up, his cheeks flushing a bit in embarrassment. "What is it?"

"I noticed you weren't at dinner," Tobio sat down on the edge of his bed. Koushi crawled beside him and sat down next to him, looking at the food ravenously. 

"Yeah... I was tired..." Koushi muttered.

"So I got you this food," Tobio handed him the small plate and Koushi took it gratefully. "It's not a lot. I had to make Oikawa-san get it because the guys beat me up when I tried to dive in for seconds. They didn't believe me when I told them I was getting some for you."

As Tobio said this, Koushi noticed the blood trickling from his nose. Koushi gasped in alarm, reaching for him as his motherly instinct caught in. Tobio stopped his hand, flushing red with humiliation and raising the collar of his shirt to wipe it away. "It's nothing really, promise." Tobio said reassuringly. 

"Are you sure?" Koushi took the food, taking a moldly piece of cheese in between his fingers and bringing it towards his pale lips.

"I'm sure," Tobio smiled and wiped his nose again as Koushi bit the entire piece of cheese.

"Okay," Koushi said.

"Well, I'm going to go to sleep. Goodnight, Sugawara-san."

"Goodnight, Kageyama," Koushi responded as he held back from inhaling his food in a split second. He had to savor it. He knew it'd be more filling that way. 

After he finished, he flopped back down and under the thin blanket on the mattress. Despite the horrible quality bed, he dozed off easily. He did this because he knew he was safe here. There were people he reconginzed here; people who cared about him here. That fact relieved him but at the same time made him feel gulity for undescribeable reasons. 

With one last sigh, Koushi completely fell asleep.


	9. Chapter 8

He carefully watched it fly across the room, tuning out the cheering and shouting voices around him. He noticed the opponent's team set the multi-colored ball in an arch, to the hitter. Daichi bent low and perfectly received the attack the hitter spiked into his arms. It flew up and towards the tip of the net, but their setter flicked it to Daichi, who began his approach and spiked it in the corner of the court.

"Out!" The opponent's libero called, and in a matter of fact, it was out. Daichi gritted his teeth and turned away, as if not wanting to show his defeated face to his opponents. He raised his head and clapped his hand against the setter's back. 

"Nice job! Sorry, I hit it so hard," he said. 

The setter looked back and smiled. "Yeah, you too. Next time, okay?"

But Daichi knew there wasn't going to be next time. So did the setter. Yes, in a matter of fact, was this their last match of both player's third season. Indeed, did they lose both games and were defeated in the tournament.

"Come on, Sawamura! Let's line up." Hayato called, gesturing him to come line up at the end line. Daichi jogged to it and stared ahead, his eyebrows furrowed slightly and his teeth grinding together. They walked up to the net and high-fived one another, then walked back to the line and bowed with one last 'thank you'. 

After that, Daichi went to grab his water bottle. Hayato accompanied him with some hesitation, looking at him with concerned cinnamon-brown eyes. "Sawamura, I've noticed you've kept hitting your serves and hits out. It's scaring the first years. Are you angry?"

"I rather speak about it in private," Daichi glanced back at the first year students who were giving their captain intimidated and fearful looks. Daichi stiffened and looked away. "Go tell them it's nothing important, okay?"

Hayato nodded and walked over to the first years to reassure them. He sighed.

It's more than important.

 

Daichi stuffed his hands into the pockets of his jacket, Hayato besides him. They walked out of the gymnasium, gazing at the sunset like in some cheesy anime. Daichi held a straight face although he felt as if he was about to burst. He couldn't hold everything in.

"You guys can go ahead," Daichi announced to the rest of the team besides Hayato. "Ikejiri and I will be with you in a moment." 

They only nodded and walked to the school bus that brought them to this place. Hayato looked at him. "So, what's been bothering you?"

"It's about Koushi," Daichi gripped the side of his head, wanting to rip his own skull out. "It's... It's just not fair," he protested, "it wasn't even his fault! He didn't want to kill all of those people, and yet he gets five years in prison! He didn't even kill that many..." 

"Sawamura... He still did kill people, you know," Hayato pointed out. "We should just be grateful he didn't get put into prison for life. You know that judge went easy on you out of her sympathy, right? I could see it in her eyes. You shouldn't push your luck with the government or anything. If anything, you might be able to get him on parole."

"Pft, how do I do that?" Daichi sounded as if he had given up now.

Hayato sighed. "I'm not sure, really... Maybe he..." Hayato suddenly cut himself off.

"Maybe he what?" Daichi pressed.

"N-Nevermind, I forgot what I was going to say..." He scratched his nape awkwardly. "I doubt it was a good idea, anyway."

"Try to remember, please," Daichi pleaded.

"Maybe you two can help each other get him on parole? I don't know, it's probably impossible. I don't think you're even allowed to send mail out of prison until you get released, so that's hopeless." Hayato sighed. 

Daichi hesitated for a moment before nodding. "I'll get him out early, though... He doesn't deserve to be locked up. Thanks, Ikejiri. Let's go." So with that, Daichi's eyes lit up with hope and he marched off.

And Hayato decided not to say anything more about the situation for the rest of the school year.


	10. Chapter 9

I'm scared.

Koushi stood up in his jail bed, forgetting where he was for a moment. Where was he? Oh right, juvy. He was in juvy. 

He was in...juvy.

He stood up and got out of bed, noticing that Tobio and Tooru had already gotten up, probably going to breakfast. He went to the cafeteria in sluggish movements, as if he was still half asleep. His mind couldn't really process at this moment now that he had the same dreadful routine: wake up, eat, do manual labor, ignore everyone else and sleep, eat again, stay up past midnight with his own thoughts, and sleep again. It was boring. In matter of fact, it was just like his past home.

And seriously, this would be better if Daichi was there.

But he knew that Daichi would wait out the three more years they had left until being able to see eachother and live normally again, both of them ignoring everything else around them. They just wanted to see eachother's faces again.

They wanted to know if the other was alright.

"Koushi-chan!" Tooru called, waving him over once Koushi had entered the cafeteria. He must have already gotten him food because there was a seperate tray full of breakfast next to him. "I got you food. You're welcome."

"Thanks," Koushi sat down and ate his food in silence, the noise of the converstaions like static to his ears. This food was horribly disgusting, but he still ate it like he would with anything else. 

"Gah, I still can't eat any of this!" One boy, Tetsurou, complained, pushing the tray away. "It's just disgusting!"

"Just eat it anyway," a smaller boy with bleached hair, Kenma, replied dully. "You need some type of food. I doubt they'll serve us anything unhealthy, anyway."

"I bet they would," Tooru cut in. "We were all sent here for punishment, right? Of course they would."

"Eh, it's not that bad," Kenma muttered, continuing to eat his food. 

"I'll have yours, Kuroo," Morisuke said, desperately beginning to reach out to grab his tray. Tetsurou pushed it over to him.

"Anyday," Tetsurou huffed. "What about you, Suga? How do you like this shitty food?"

Koushi ignored him.

"Oi, Suga, listen to me," Tetsurou slapped him across the face to get his attention. Koushi stiffened up and stared at him with wide eyes as if the tall guy's skin had dissolved and he was purely bone. "Sorry, did I scare you?"

"What..." Koushi sputtered out, but cut himself off.

The entire table went silent as Koushi's terrifying eyes bore into Tetsurou's. Everyone was waiting for the gray-haired male to finish what he was going to say, but it was as if Koushi froze right there and then.

"What's happening again...?" Koushi whispered.

Tooru snapped his fingers in front of Koushi's brown eyes. "Kuroo asked you something." He explained as Koushi jolted back in alarm.

"Oh..." Koushi stared at his food, his vision beginning to blurr suddenly. What was happening? He felt as if his eyes were becoming a bit more dull, his face becoming more pale, and he was going to throw up all the thoughts in his mind. His mind was washed away with confusion and questions. 

What did he ask me? Why am I here again? How'd I get here? Where's Daichi?

Tears welled up in his eyes and vomit began to fly onto his tray. Everyone scooted away and the entire cafeteria had went silent. The salty droplets of water also ran down his cheeks as he threw up last night's meal. His stomach cried out and he ended up doing the same thing, noticing a red liquid in his vomit. He covered his eyes with his hands once he was finished, not wanting to look at what just came out of his mouth.

"Is that blood...?" Someone whispered as all eyes were fixed on his vomit.

"I think so..." Another replied, making Koushi sniffle.

There was a sudden burst through the doors and two nurses rushed to his side. Koushi gazed at them with desperation in his coffee-brown eyes. He ended up throwing up again until they put him in a wheelchair, for his legs felt like jelly, and rushed him to the doctor in the juvy. 

Why am I scared again?


	11. Chapter 10

The birds tweeted outside the large hospital in Tokyo on the Saturday afternoon. One landed in a tree nearby Koushi's door, sitting on the branch and gazing inside to the gray haired boy, laying unconcious in the uncomfortable hospital bed with machines hooked to his body. His heart-rate beeped at a slow, peaceful pace. It landed on the windowsill and watched him curiously. 

The bird sprang to his bedside and hooked its feet on it, gazing down at him. His chest rose slowly, then sank back into his bones. There was a breathing mask attached to his mouth, shielding his delicate pale lips from the air around him. The bird pecked at the mask, then lost interest and flew back outside. 

Daichi's hand swung the door open. "Koushi!? Are you oka-"

"Shhh," The nurse clapped her hand over his mouth. "He's sleeping."

"Eh...?" Koushi's head rasied from the pillow, but he instantly fell back and groaned in pain.

"You're finally awake, Sugawara," The nurse smiled her black hair tied up in a high ponytail, but still fell to her lower back. "You've been out for a week since you threw up."

"Threw up?" Koushi asked. 

"At the juvy while you were eating breakfast, yes," The nurse replied.

"Oh, that..." Koushi's eyes softened in humiliation. "Why am I here now? Why am I hooked up to this?" His voice was hoarse. 

"Well, you got diagnosed after you threw up blood, and you've been having stomach cancer for quite a long time," She glanced at her clipboard that was in her hand. "It says that you've had it since you were nine, but it didn't affect you, correct?" 

Koushi's eyes watered up in alarm. "N-No, ma'am," he whispered. "Sometimes I had really bad stomach aches, but they went away after about a week... I'd get them often, though, but they didn't hurt me that much."

"Okay, thank you. Did your stomach aches increase after your father took you away?" The nruse asked after Koushi gestured for Daichi to come over and sit next to him. 

"Yes, but of course he did nothing about it. I'd get them more regularly, and sometimes I couldn't even stand up... If I told anyone, my father would hurt me." Koushi explained.

"Okay..." The nurse trailed off. "How do you feel right now?"

"Horrible." Koushi managed to choke out. Daichi felt his hand being clutched tightly by Koushi's boney one as the sheets rustled slightly.

"Do you feel like throwing up? Is your stomach in pain?"

"It just hurts..." Koushi managed to say, tears almost spilling from his eyes. "It hurts a lot... It hurts so much I feel like I can't breathe."

"Okay, well, we're going to look more into it. Can you try eating some food, you think? We just want to know how you'll react now. It won't increase your cancer, promise." She said.

"Okay..." Koushi said after hesitation.

"Alright. I'll be right back, okay?" 

And she left the room.

Once the door closed, Koushi burst into tears and wailed, to Daichi's alarm. "K-Koushi, it's okay, I promise," he said urgently, wiping his tears with his thumb.

"No it's not," he cried in agony. "It hurts so fucking much, Daichi! I hate it! Make it stop, please!" His hand almost suffocated Daichi's, his knuckles a ghostly white. "God damn it, god fucking damn it!" 

"Koushi, the pain's going to go away soon, okay? I promise. I can't make it stop... I'm sorry... You know I would if I could." He said, not knowing what else to say.

"I know," Koushi choked, his rose-cut hand covering his eyes and the emotions behind them. He sniffled. 

"The only thing I can do is stay," Daichi ended up murmuring softly.

"You don't have to, though..."

There was only silence when she entered the room. Koushi had closed his eyes and relaxed a bit after Daichi caressed his hair and laid a few hesitant kisses on his face, but underneath the sheet his hand groped at the matress in pain. He had to hold it in. He didn't want to overwhelm Daichi.

"Here you are, Sugawara," She smiled, bringing in an actually quite appetizing dish. Koushi sat up and let go of Daichi's now sweaty hand, looking at the food. His mind swayed along with his dead set of eyes and his body. Another person walked in. "We also brought Dr. Takashi in." She smiled at the tall, well-built man with shaggy brown hair. 

"Good afternoon, Sugawara-san," He said as he walked up to the teenager, ruffling his gray locks. "So we got this food for you to eat. If it hurts at all, tell Ms. Kageyama immediately, okay?" He gestured to the nurse. "Also, tell her as many details as possible. We'll need you to do this to get a bit more research on your symptoms."

"Okay," Koushi mumbled, looking at the food as Daichi kept him from rocking side to side slowly. He took some of the food with his chopsticks and raised it to his mouth, when Dr. Takashi stood aside, observing along with Ms. Kageyama. Koushi took a mouthful in and chewed slowly, at first not feeling any unusual pain. He swallowed, his throat bobbing, and bit his lip. "Is this homemade?" He whispered, looking up.

"Yes, Ms. Kageyama was nice enough to cook you a meal this morning. Is there anything wrong?" Dr. Takashi replied.

"Not really," Koushi mumbled, continuing to eat. 

It tasted so much like his mother's meals, before everything happened. It reminded him of how she'd come home from work with bags under her eyes, but still would cook a delightful meal for him and Yuki. These were peaceful nights; peaceful nights where maybe their father was gone, but it was still nice. For once his family seemed normal, those nights without his father. For once he felt like he would be able to hope that the next night would be the same. But of course, despite all of it, he still loved his father and wished he was just... Just... less violent.

Then it hit him: immense pain coming from his stomach and he spat out the food. "It hurts, it hurts," He spat out, blood speckling the cooked meal in front of him. He felt circles being rubbed into his back by Daichi's palm, soothing him slightly. As Koushi began to choke on some of the leftover food he didn't spit out, Daichi pounded on his back and eventually, with one last choke, it landed on top of the rest of the food. 

"It's okay, it's okay," He said gently, continuing to rub circles in his back. Tears only dripped from Koushi's eyes as his stomach cried out for him to stop.

"Alright, Koushi. You don't have to eat." Ms. Kageyama took the plate away from him, wiping his mouth with a tissue she already had in her pockets. Koushi reached out for it and she ended up handing it to him for him to cough into. "Tell us what it felt like." She took the bloody tissue and threw it away, grabbing her clipboard that was placed on a desk and looked ready to write down.

"It was f-fine at first," Koushi managed to say. "Then out of nowhere, it started to hurt so much. I felt like I was going to explode... "I didn't feel like I was hungry, a-at first... It hurt a bit to swallow, and I felt naseous looking at the food..." He mumbled.

"Okay," Ms. Kageyama jotted down these symptoms.

"Have you been eating very salty and highly-processed food for a long time?" Mr. Takashi asked.

"Yes, my dad always brought home fast food since we left," Koushi mumbled. 

"Have you been smoking recently or often in the past?" 

Koushi only nodded shamefully.

"Okay," he said as if it was no big deal at all. "Have any of your ancestors had stomach cancer?" 

"My grandpa and great grandpa did," Koushi answered. 

"Have you gotten heartburn often?" 

"Not really," Koushi answered.

"What about early satiety?" He asked.

"What's that?"

"It's where you feel full after eating only a small amount of food." 

"Yeah, I have..." 

"Okay. These all are symptoms and causes for stomach cancer. We're going to leave for a bit to see what we can do." Dr. Takashi explained briefly before leaving the room.

The door closed once the two left, leaving Koushi and Daichi in the room.

"Does it still hurt?" Daichi asked, looking at Koushi with concern.

"A bit," Koushi responded, his hand reaching out to grab Daichi's shirt and tug on it. "Come here."

Daichi nodded and slipped off his shoes, climbing into the bed. He felt Koushi snuggle up against his side, resting his head on his shoulder, causing Daichi's arm for Koushi to also lay on. 

"Are you disappointed?" Koushi asked suddenly but softly.

"About what?"

"I guess everything... I wouldn't have caused you any problems if I wasn't your soulmate... Are you disappointed that I smoked? That I cut myself and allowed myself to kill but be defeated? That I have stomach cancer? That I'm just...your soulmate?"

"Koushi, don't ever think I'm disappointed because you're my soulmate," Daichi sighed. "And all of those other things just make up what's you. I'm glad my soulmate is you."

"But it's like a teammate, right?" Koushi asked. "The entire soulmate thing... You're paired up with somebody, and you just have to deal with them, right? Sometimes, they take a while to get used to, and sometimes they can't get along at all. You think that this soulmate thing is easy, but, it kind of isn't..." 

"Koushi, don't think I don't love you," He mumbled. "Is it that you don't love me?"

"No, no, I love you so much, Daichi," Koushi instantly replied. "You've taken a step out of your own life to help me. You risked your life for me. But are you only doing that because I'm your soulmate? Eventually you know that you're going to fall in love with me, but you haven't yet? What does your definition of love mean when it comes to me?" 

Daichi didn't say anything. He didn't know what Koushi would do if he did admit it was true: he was only doing everything for Koushi because he was his soulmate. He doesn't actually love him the way he's supposed to, of course, that's why he's trying to. Because they're soulmates. 

And soulmates have to romantically love eachother, right? That's just what they do.

"Am I that easy to read?" Daichi managed to murmur out.

"It just seems like that's what you'd do," Koushi responded. "You're just that type of person... You want to make me happy, right?"

"Yeah..." Daichi said slowly.

"You don't have to love me in that way to make me happy. Just do what you can do without forcing yourself, okay? I'm so happy that you've already helped me out of my crisis earlier. I really appreciate it." Koushi's hand clutched Daichi's tightly, but it instantly slid away. "So get out of this hospital bed and take the train home sooner. Your life depends too. Your sister, your parents, your friends - they all matter too. Don't only focus on me, okay?" 

"Okay..." Daichi got out of the bed and slipped his shoes back on. "But wouldn't you be disappointed that nobody is giving you attention?" He asked after walking to the door. 

"No," Koushi managed to smile. An actual smile. Sure, he's fake-smiled a few times in front of Daichi, but this one was completely realisitic. "I like being a part of the background. It makes me think that because I'm part of the background, I'm like a normal boy, with a normal life and normal friends... I'm not saying that I don't like your company, I really do, a lot - but you have your own life to care about."

"Yeah." Daichi said quietly. "Okay... But some nights I can stay all night, right?"

"I'm not controlling you, Daichi. I never said to take the train now." Koushi's smile couldn't help but grow.

Daichi ended up grinning back, and he walked back up to him and sat in a chair.

And they talked and talked for the rest of the busy night in Tokyo.


	12. Chapter 11

At about four in the morning, Daichi noticed Koushi's words became more slurred with sleepiness, and ten minutes later he was completely asleep. A smile laid on his resting face. Daichi put on the mask on his mouth so he could breathe properly while he was dozing. 

A frown then crept upon Daichi's face. 

You're just that type of guy. Koushi's words echoed in his ears. 

Later that night, he said: I'm just that type of guy too.

Daichi studied his soulmate's face just a bit longer, then grabbed his coat and walked out of his hospital room. He wrapped it around his body and walked down the hallway, to the exit. He thanked the woman at the desk for his time.

"Are you sure you want to leave? It's not safe." She asked.

"I'm okay, thanks," Daichi waved and left the hospital. He knew the train was nearby. He began to walk down the road to the train station, his only lighting source the streetlights and advertisements on buildings. Thankfully, Tokyo was bright, and that made it easy to see. There were many buisnessmen walking about to the train as well to get early to work. 

Daichi twiddled the train map around his fingers, looking at it and seeing which one to take and when to part for another train. A sudden gust of wind blew it into a dark alleyway. Daichi sighed in annoyance and walked into the alleyway. 

As he reached for the map, he could hear voices.

His head raised reluctantly, and he stared at the noticeable silhouettes moving in the shadows. 

These voices weren't old, thank God. They were young, probably highschool or middle school, maybe college. Daichi's eyes stared forward as a gun suddenly clicked and a voice boomed out at him. "Who's there?"

Daichi's eyes widened in alarm as he stuffed the train map into his pocket. He didn't do anything but run off suddenly, and fortunately they didn't follow after him. He raced to the train station as fast as he possibly could. He arrived there in a few more minutes and his train would arrive in five minutes. He leaned against the side of a vending machine.

His phone began to buzz obnoxiously. His hand slid into his pocket and he looked at the caller. His mother. He wasn't very surprised, obviously; of course his mother would be worried to hell about him not coming back from the hospital and it's still 4:00 AM.

Answering the call, he brought it to his ear and studied the night. "Hello?" He asked.

"Daichi! Thank God you're okay... Sachikio was worried to death about you, and so was me and your father! Are you home yet? Are you still at the hospital?" She urgently questioned.

"I'm at the train station in Tokyo. I just left the hospital... Koushi wouldn't let me go home until he fell asleep. Sorry, Mom, I must have scared you a lot." Daichi frowned as he said this, hearing his mother's relieved panting.

"It's okay, Daichi. Just tell me earlier, okay? I thought you got kidnapped." She let out one last slightly exasperated sigh. "Saki-chan want's to talk to you." 

"Okay," Daichi said, and his sister almost broke his eardrum as she spoke.

"Daichi!? Thank Goodness you're still alive! I thought you got raped and then kidnapped and then-" 

Daichi cut her off. "I'm fine." He said simply as the roar of the train blasted in his ears like loud music. He noticed the large train coming to a halt at the station. "My train is here, one moment." He said. He walked to the train and boarded it after everyone walked out. Thankfully he got a seat and he plopped down in it. "Okay, back. You don't have to worry about me, y'know. I would've told you already if I thought something was weird."

"Sorry, Dai. I just don't want to lose someone close to me again." Sachikio apologized with concern. 

Daichi knew what she meant by that, and it stung him in the heart like a knife. "Yeah, I understand..." He sighed. 

"Yeah..." Sachikio only repeated the word, and a small sniffle came from the phone. "So... When are you going to get back?"

"Probably 6:30 AM. I'll be in time for practice, so it'll be fine." Daichi replied.

"Wow, Dai... You're going to still do morning practice after you've already stayed up all night?" Sachikio asked in amazement.

"Well, yeah..." Daichi shrugged. 

"You're really loyal to people... I'm so happy about that." He could tell Sachikio was smiling. "To Koushi and your teammates, along with your friends and family..."

"Well, of course... They're people I care about."

"Yeah." Sachikio agreed. "Well, I'll see you this morning. Call me when you get back to Sendai." 

"Okay," Daichi said. "Bye, Nee-san."

"Bye-bye," Sachikio said, and hung up.

Daichi leaned his head against the seat and stared out the window. Around him two business man and a business woman sat, all looking at their phones or reading a book. Daichi completely ignored him and remained focus on the scenery the train passed. He wanted to fall asleep, but he didn't. What if he missed his stop? He'd have to stop at one other city and take that train to Sendai an hour later...

Ah, fuck it. Daichi thought as he set an alarm on his phone for 5:10 AM; the time he would have to get up and take the next train to Sendai.

I'll wake up in time.


	13. Chapter 12

Daichi didn't come back to Tokyo later that day after school (they had no practice because they already had morning practice), for the bags under his eyes from last night were enormous. It was finally Friday and he was able to sleep. And oh God, did he need that sleep. Sugawara understanded, and didn't go against it.

Before in the day, the doctors gave Sugawara the information of the cures they could do to lessen the cancer. They could give him chemotherapy drug, then perform a radiation therapy. Or they could take out part of his stomach, but it would still be able to operate decently. The surgery was quicker to remove it, but the drugs took longer to kill the harmful cells.

Koushi decided to choose the drug and radiation therapy. He knew that surgery could cause other problems in other parts of his body. It was only common sense about the cause and effect of surgery, which probably was worse than a drug and radiation therapy. 

"Do you want palliative care as well?" Dr. Takashi had asked Koushi, knowing about how dreadful his life already was. "It's a special medical care to improve your worries or emotional symptoms from the sickness. We know that before you were diagnosed, your life was already downhill."

Koushi looked at him with confusion.

"You think I'm that bad?" He asked softly.

"Sorry, Sugawara-san. Did you take that offensively? I didn't mean it that way."

"No, no, I didn't... You're right. But I don't want it..." Koushi declined the offer. "I think all I need is just simply support... I'll say that Daichi has already lifted my spirits from just being himself." 

"If you say so, Sugawara." 

Now coming back to the present, Koushi was lying in his bed. It was dark outside already, the glittering Tokyo surrounding his hospital as he looked out the window.

There was a knock at the door, and the nurse Mrs. Kageyama walked into the room. "Good evening, Sugawara-san." She said with a large smile.

"Good evening..." He replied. "What is it?"

"We're going to have you take your pills in just a moment. And we have some surprise guests for you." 

"Surprise guests?"

"Yep. Now I have your IVs. We're going to bring in Dr. Hamazuki. She's very trained in giving this to you, for this drug is bringing your tissues and veins at risk... Don't worry, she's a talented doctor and we're going to give you another IV that won't cause possible imflammation in your veins if this Cisplatin." Mrs. Kageyama explained, and Dr. Takashi and Dr. Hamazuki walked in. Mrs. Kageyama smiled. "Good evening, Dr. Takashi and Hamazuki."

"Good evening." Dr. Hamazuki said quietly. She looked at Koushi for a moment, her finger brushing her long brown bangs out of her face. "So you're Sugawara Koushi?"

"Yes, ma'am..." Koushi replied with slight embarrassment. Her eyes trained on him, observing his state, observing his facial expression, observing the humiliated glint in his dull brown eyes. Did she know what happened with him?

Koushi stared back at her, also trying to figure out what she was thinking. However, everything about her was indescribeable: the way her eyes glowed with knowing, the way she talked, the way she moved her hair out of the way of her face. "Okay. Nice to meet you."

She turned away once her eyes began to show emotion, as if she didn't want anyone to know what she was thinking. As if she was saying, my thoughts are my own thoughts, and you don't need to know what they are.

"So we're giving you the Cisplatin IV and the Cisplatin Defender IV?" She asked, wanting to know if he understood what was happening around him. 

"That's what Kageyama-sama told me, ma'am." 

"Well, she's correct." Mrs. Hamazuki took the first IV from the metal tray and looked at his stomach. "We're going to give this to you in the stomach so it reaches the point faster. However, we're taking the second IV in your arm. Got it?" She asked dully.

"Understood." Koushi sat up and straightened his back, pulling up his shirt and exposing his flower-marked skin. A small frown made it's way to Mrs. Hamazuki's face. She observed the spot for a while, her mind becoming a bit scattered.

Then she drew her finger above his skin lightly before settling on one spot she knew where a vein was. She set the IV against his skin and pushed in the medicine after telling him to stay still. Koushi bit his lip, enduring the pain, and was relieved when she took the needle out of his skin. She grabbed a bandaid from the tray and placed it on the miniscule hole in his skin, covering it. 

"First one's done," she reminded him, telling him that they were halfway finished. Then she took the second IV and placed it in his arm. This one was more quick. She placed another bandaid on his arm this time and said: "Now we're finished. If you have vomiting or a loss of blood cells, it's completely normal, but you should tell Mrs. Kageyama or Mr. Takashi just incase it may be more than we think." 

"Okay, thank you..." Koushi mumbled. She nodded and walked out, along with Mr. Takashi.

"So now we're going to bring in your special guests, okay?" Mrs. Kageyama smiled and also walked out of the room.

Koushi was already alone again.

He thought of who would show up. Of course it wouldn't be Daichi, he was all the way back in Sendai probably sleeping. Maybe it was Hayato and Yui? No, they would also be doing whatever back at Sendai. Kyioko-san from the other hospital? He doubted it. She probably had to take care of her own job. 

Before he could think of them, the door opened, and there were two women standing next to Mrs. Kageyama. Both had black hair, and the older one had brown eyes, however the younger one had light blue eyes. The older woman's hand was on the younger one's shoulder, smiles on both of their faces. 

The younger woman's eyes sparkled as she looked at him, her cheeks red with joy.

Was he dreaming?

No, this was...

"Hey!~ It's your favorite people, Tooru-chan, Tobio-chan and Yaku-san~" His voice interuppted his hallucination, smiling ear-to-ear as he walked in.

Instantly the smile on Koushi's face turned back into a frown. "Oh."

"Are you disappointed to see us or something?" Tooru gasped. Morisuke and Tobio only looked puzzled.

"No, I just thought you were someone else..." Koushi replied. "How were you able to get out of the juvy?"

"Oh, they let us. But there's security guards if you haven't seen 'em." He gestured to the two bulky men at the back of the room. 

"That makes sense..." Koushi trailed off. "I'm glad you guys came to see me."

"Yeah, we were worried." Morisuke said as he took the first chair next to his bed, where Daichi usually sat. "Tobio was really losing his shit after you were rushed to the hospital."

"S-shut up," Tobio hissed in embarrassment. "I mean, you don't see people throw up blood and then get rushed to the hospital every day. I'm just glad you're okay, Suga-san."

"That's good..." Koushi trailed off. Tooru ended up laying on the end of the bed and staring up at him with a grin as Tobio awkwardly stayed in his spot. 

"So how's it going? Are you going to be okay?" Tooru asked.

"I just took my medicine, so I guess... And my soulmate has been visiting me, so I'm better than normal." Koushi said vaguely.

"Speaking of which, you never told me about your soulmate." Morisuke spoke up.

"I.. I don't want to talk about it right now," Koushi sighed.

"You're so mysterious, Sugawara," Morisuke thought aloud, looking down at Koushi. He was one to analyze everything, easily know what was wrong with people: their weaknesses, the holes in their personality, their strengths; he was like a robot himself. 

"Sorry..." Koushi apologized.

"No, that's fine. I know it's hard to trust people right now, don't you think?" Morisuke gave him a small, comforting grin, but Koushi knew there was something behind those words. He just couldn't figure out what he meant by that.

"I guess."

"That's enough time for you guys." One of the security guards said firmly. The men grabbed the boy's by the arms, and led them out. "Say goodbye."

"Bye-bye," Tooru waved.

"Bye, Suga-san," Tobio said.

"Cya, Sugawara." Morisuke smiled and the three boys were pulled out of the room.

"So I heard those are your friends as well?" Mrs. Kageyama questioned him.

"Yeah..." Koushi answered. "I'm glad they were able to come over... But why weren't they given a lot of time?"

"Well, everyone in the juvy is supposed to be asleep right now. They managed to sneak them out after they convinced them to see you." She explained. "Now, I think you should get some more rest, and maybe we can have you eat a full meal tomorrow morning."

"Okay, thanks Kageyama-sama..." Koushi turned his back to her and let his face sink into the pillow. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight, Sugawara." She waved and closed the door behind her. "Just press that red button if you need me."

He nodded, wanting her to leave already and think. Once the door finally closed behind her and the lights switched off, he stared ahead. 

Did he mean that by everyone? Did he mean people trusting me? Or me trusting others? I'm not that disloyal, right?

"Yaku, you're so confusing..." Koushi sighed. "Why do you have to be so confusing?"

He knew if he asked him that, Morisuke would only say something along the lines of: "I can't spell out everything for you. That's not how life works, Sugawara."

Life must be so confusing.


	14. Chapter 13

A small shadow skidded behind the convienent store. Hayato only watched, dumfounded, even though he had been extremely concetrated on the thoughts in his head. His cinnamon hair brushed against his freckled face as he began to turn away. What was I thinking about again? He thought, his gave fully averting from the store. How could he forgotten so easily? What could a mere shadow even do to scatter his critical thoughts?

He let out a deafeated sigh. After shrugging his worn-out shoulders from volleyball practice, he continued down the road that was speckled with small potholes which cars occasionally rolled on. He observed the odd silence around him. The birds didn't even make a sound, even though it was spring. It was so quiet, so uncomfortable.

That's when he saw the motel just next to him. He stopped, looking at it's sign: IZUMINATE MOTEL - BREAKFAST, SLEEP. The words had been spelled out by letters on cards and put into the sign. The cards were crippled and dirty. Then he turned back to his front and just stared forward.

I was just standing here, he thought. I was standing here just three years ago, right?

The entire thing replayed in his head. Standing next to Yui, his body stiff with tension, watching the complicated relationship between his friend and the worst criminal's son in Japan unfold in front of his very own brown eyes. Even the sound of Taeko's intimidating voice and the way he held Koushi by the neck: knuckles white as he clenched it with all the anger that built up in his head; how he nuzzled the nose of his shotgun into Koushi's thin, dirty gray hair. How infuriated Daichi was when he recklessly lunged at the criminal mastermind - it replayed over and over like a broken video tape.

His eyes were fixtated on the cracked concerete in front of him. Then he shook his head and walked past it. That's all in the past now. Koushi has cancer so he can't really continue his crimes, right? 

He was puzzled at this thought. What if the cancer cured? What if Koushi...lied? Why did he even care? Oh, right. He cared about his friend Daichi, who probably would be more broken than Koushi himself. 

"God dammit," he eventually spoke, his pace quickening as he went back to his home.

 

 

\- - - 

 

 

"God dammit," Koushi muttered after Mrs. Hamazuki had left his hospital room. It was yet another day he had to take his IVs. 

"What is it, Koushi?" Miss Kageyama asked, looking his way. Her high, silky black ponytail gently swished behind her head as she turned to look at him.

"Am I going to live...?" Koushi questioned her bluntly. Miss Kageyama frowned, which Koushi immediately took as a bad sign. "Is that a no?" He mumbled after she had not said anything for about ten seconds.

"No, Sugawara. It's not that." Miss Kageyama said almost firmly. "You'll have to be positive if you want to live. I know you've always been looking at things negatively because as you were raised, your life was horrible, correct?"

"Yeah..." Koushi mumbled with some embarrassment.

"But you managed to get through it, right?"

"Yes..."

"Then just think that that situation is the worse situation to be in, but you still got through it. So this isn't as bad as then, right?"

"Not really," Koushi retorted. "It's equal."

"Well, if it's equal... you can get through it just like you did with the situation with your father." Miss Kageyama pointed out.

Koushi let his gaze break from hers. It was humiliating to know that Daichi was the only person who lead him through the worse situations, the only reason he stared at the line of water in the glass. Miss Kageyama sighed and ruffled his thin hair. "I know it's hard, Koushi..." She whispered. "My older brother died of cancer... The doctors said he only had a day to live, but because he was positive and tried his best to look on that bright side, he lasted two more weeks before he died."

Koushi only nodded. She knew she was serious now; she had used his first name to speak to him. "I know the only reason you've gotten out of that spot was because of Daichi. I know, and I understand, that you had nobody to live for, at least, that's what you thought. But just try to get through this day, okay? Do it so Daichi can see you again."

Koushi felt tears run down his cheeks. "I... I know," he managed to spit out, wiping his eyes frantically. He felt pathetic to cry in front of someone else. "I'm sorry..."

"For crying?"

Koushi nodded.

"You don't need to apologize," She sniffed. "I know your life has been so hard to get through. I don't think anyone will care if you cry your heart out. Cry out that sadness, okay? Cry it all out so the only thing left is positivity and happiness." 

Koushi was surprised to see tears rolling down her cheeks as well. He decided not to question her at all. He concluded that it was something to do with her dead brother, or maybe that she understood everything behind each small, salty tear.

"I've been... holding it in... so you wouldn't feel bad..." She explained between sobs. "I thought if I cried in front of you from pity, you'd be disappointed in yourself... Are you? I'm sorry. Please don't think you're someone who shouldn't be loved, or pitied. Be thankful that people like me, like your friends, and Daichi care about you, and want to help but..."

She stopped herself and stared at his confused face, then more tears spilled out.

"What is it...?" Koushi asked in alarm, biting his lip right after as a loud sob erupted from her throat. 

"It's just that..."

Then there was knock on the door. Miss Kageyama wiped her eyes and blew her nose, then shoved the tissue box to Koushi and opened up the door. Koushi was relieved to see that it was Daichi standing at the door, smiling up at her. "Can I speak to Koushi?"

"Yeah, he's here," Miss Kageyama hid behind a grin of happiness. Daichi nodded and turned to him, walking over and sitting in the chair Miss Kageyama was just sitting in. Miss Kageyama then left the room, probably going to wash her face and tell herself to pull it together.

"I thought you were coming tomorrow," Koushi said with disbelief.

"My school and parents let me take off today to come here... My dad has a buisness trip here so I'm sharing a hotel room with him. I'll be here all weekend." Daichi briefly explained.

"I'm so glad," Koushi breathlessly said. 

"I'm glad you're glad," Daichi chuckled, wiping his wet cheeks. "You were crying, huh? It's okay. I don't mind."

"Aren't you a bit disappointed...?" Koushi questioned. "Because I'm crying?"

"Of course not, Koushi. I'm going to just say that I've cried over you a lot... And I don't care if you're sensitive, it just gives me another reason to cheer you up." Daichi said, gingerly wrapping his arms around his soulmate.

Koushi's weak arms also hugged Daichi back. He rested his chin on his shoulder and stared ahead, a small sniff coming from his nose.

"Thank you..."

"For what?"

"For just being here..."

"Idiot, don't make it sound like you're about to die..." Daichi gently flicked his head, but went back to embracing him. "...Don't make it sound like it's the end already. We still have an entire life ahead of us, a life together."

"Yeah..."

"And once you get out of this hospital, Koushi, the doctors are going to enroll you in school, and my family is going to take care of you. You're going to get educated and you're going to go to college with me, then we'll be able to get jobs and live like any normal person, together. I promise, Koushi, I promise." Daichi said softly into his ear, but his voice was full of hope.

"I believe you, Daichi..."


	15. Chapter 14 (Epilogue)

"Koushi-chan! You have to wake up for school!" Sachikio cried, shaking him frantically. She was already in her jeans and white designer shirt, ready to take the bus to her college. However, Koushi was laying in the guest bed, half asleep as Sachikio shook him.

That's right. Koushi couldn't sleep in anymore, which was a disappointment. However, the positive things weighed out the negative. Koushi was going to Karasuno High School as a senior. He was going to highschool with Daichi. He was going to meet new people, and there people would accept him, and befriend him.

Koushi jolted out of bed and stared in alarm. "W-What time is it?" He asked frantically.

"It's 8:30! You still have to walk to school as well! Ah, you know what, I'll just drive you and Daichi. Come on!" She shoved him out of bed and he rushed to his new wardrobe. One advantage to not being stuck in a hospital anymore: new clothes. He didn't have to wear his bloody shirt or jeans, nor a pale blue nightgown. He had a school uniform now (and god, did he think Daichi looked good in that school uniform).

"Sorry, sorry!" He apologized and dressed into his school uniform, rushing to the bathroom to brush his hair and then to the kitchen to eat a quick breakfast. He rushed back to the bathroom to brush his teeth and totally forgot about putting on deoderant, so carelessly pulled up his school uniform and put it on with his clothes still on.

Daichi walked in. "Are you done yet? It's already 8:45." He asked, and then just looked confused for a moment before bursting out with laughter. Koushi lunged at him and scrunched up his hair with embarrassment.

"I'm in a hurry right now!"

"Well, I'm just happy to see you're more lively." Daichi smiled and laid a kiss on his cheek. A real one. Not those fake ones from before. Koushi flushed red and hesitated for a moment, smiling and then running out to get his bag and put on his shoes and coat. 

"I'm ready now!" Koushi yelled from across the home. Sachikio nodded and rushed out the door in front of them. They followed and hopped into her pretty junky car, but at this point Koushi was too busy to care. 

"Koushi, I usually get out of class early so if you need help finding your classes I can just show you." Daichi offered as Sachikio floored it, her car bolting to the Karasuno. "Maybe you should try volleyball, too, it's really fun."

"I think I'll wait for that," Koushi refused, a bit worried at his health still. He was still pale and fairly skinny. His stomach cancer had been reduced, but not enough to play in a sport nearly everyday...

"Also I know a third year, he's pretty nice," Daichi said again, his knuckles white as he gripped the car side when Sachikio did a full turn. He must have been used to this, because Koushi jolted to Daichi and his head slammed into his shoulder, causing a small chuckle from both of them. "His name is Asahi. He's pretty tall and has a brown bun."

"Bun?"

"Bun." Daichi repeated. "He's really caring. He kind of acts like a girl sometimes. Anyway, he'll help you out if you can't find me. I think he's in two of your classes. Although, he's sensitive... Just try your best to be careful about what you say."

"Mhm," Koushi nodded.

"And there's a girl I know named Kyioko. I think you'll notice her when she walks down the hall. She has shiny black hair and glasses with blue eyes, and everyone stops when they see her. She's nice, too, but she's really quiet. I'll introduce you to them at the lunch break."

"Okay."

Daichi went over some other things, like when the classes started and what the bells meant, before Sachikio arrived at the highschool. Daichi and Koushi got out of the car and waved goodbye to Sachikio. 

For a moment, Koushi stood in front of the highschool. It was spring, so the cherry blossoms floated gracefully from the enormous trees. Daichi was already rushing to the door, but he stopped and looked back at him, waiting. 

"Come on!" He called.

Koushi took one more look at the beautiful highschool before following after his soulmate, rushing into the corridors.

It was finally happening. He was finally going to live a normal life. Nobody (besides Daichi and his family, along with the Tokyo doctors and his friends from juvy) knew what laid behind his eyes, and he was okay with that. They didn't need to know. And it was because Daichi took the bravery to ask him what was happening back three and a half years ago in middle school, and helped him out of the metaphoric ditch he was rotting in.

Now, Taeko was dead, his cancer was reducing, and even though he was being watched by the police, Koushi was unbelieveably grateful for everyone who helped him. The doctors, his friends, and especially Daichi - just Daichi, who took so much time out of his life to help him. 

As he dashed through the corridors and up the stairs, he thought about Yuki. She would be proud now, staring down at him from heaven. Her smile was still the most vivid memory in his mind, in his heart, her truthful smile when they were little. She'd make that smile, he'd know, seeing that he was finally with the one he loved living a life any average person would. Her gentle voice echoed in his ears, a voice that whispered, "you got there".

"I got there," Koushi repeated, already standing in the doorway of his first class. Math class.

The class started. He was in the lowest class (since not being educated since he was ten), but hell did he care. He stood in front of his classmates and introduced himself. For once, when people looked at him they all smiled and said "nice to meet you". In their eyes, he anaylzed that they thought something positive about him, wether it was his appearance or personality or even the way his name was pronounced, there was something about him that his new classmates liked.

He liked to know that fact as well.

The teacher excused him to his seat, and the class began to work.

Finally, he was here, at Karasuno high school.


End file.
